Solid regenerating mineral container with external indicator



J. E HlERS 3,253,891 SOLID REGENERATING MINERAL CONTAINER WITH EXTERNALINDICATOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 31, 1966 Filed June 4, 1962 INVENTOR.James E. Hiers ArrY N QM

J. E. HIERS 3,253,891 SOLID REGENERATING- MINERAL CONTAINER WITHEXTERNAL INDICATOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 31, 1966 Filed June 4, 1962INVENTOR. James E. Hiers May 31, 1966 J. E. HIERS 3, 5

' SOLID REGENERATING MINERAL CONTAINER WITH EXTERNAL INDICATOR FiledJune 4, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. Jmnes E. Hiers United StatesPatent 3,253,891 SOLID REGENERATING MINERAL CONTAINER WITH EXTERNALHJDICATUR James E. Hiers, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to Union Tank CarCompany, a corporation of New Jersey Filed June 4, 1962, Ser. No.199,764 Claims. (Cl. 23-272) This invention relates to waterconditioning, and more particularly to regenerating mineral and liquidcontainers of the type usable in the systems disclosed by Benjamin H.Kryzer in United States patent application Serial No. 199,765, titled,Water Conditioning System, filed concurrently herewith on June 4, 1962,and assigned to the same assignee as this invention.

The regenerating mineral and liquid container in water softening systemsof the type described in the abovementioned Kryzer patent applicationmay be located in an area of normal activity in a dwelling. This enablesthe occupants of the dwelling to observe the container frequently asthey go about their ordinary daily routine, and thus reminds theoccupants to check the supply of undissolved regenerating mineral toensure an adequate amount for proper operation of the system. Since itis desirable for the occupants to be able to ascertain when the solidmineral supply has been used up without opening of the container, myinvention concerns improved means for indicating this conditionexternally of the container by employing movable means for supportingthe solid mineral, and external indicating means operatively connectedto the movable supporting means.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide improvedregenerating mineral and liquid container for water conditioningsystems.

Another object is to provide means for indicating externally of aregenerating mineral container the amount of solid mineral in thecontainer.

Another object is to provide solid regenerating mineral containers forwater conditioning systems with means for externally indicating when thesolid mineral supply has been exhausted.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thespecification, drawing, and claims, and the scope of the invention willbe pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic, partially cross sectional, elevational view ofa dwelling having a water conditioning system of the type in which myinvention may be used.

FIGURE 2 is a perspetcive, partially broken-away view of a regeneratingmineral container installation in accord FIGURE 7 is an enlarged,partially broken-away elevational view showing flow control means inaccord with my teachings.

FIGURE 8 is a top plan cross sectional view taken along the line 88 inFIG. 7.

FIGURE 9 is an isometric view on a reduced scale of a hollow tubeemployed in the flow control means of FIG. 7.

FIGURE 10 is a partially broken-away elevational I 3,253,891 PatentedMay 31, 1966 view of another embodiment of flow control means in accordwith my teachings.

Referring now to the drawing, FIG. 1 shows a housetype dwelling 10having a water softening system of the type described in theaforementioned Kryze-r patent application. Briefly, the operation ofsuch a system is as follows:

Hard water entering through the pipe 13 is conditioned by watersoftening means 15 to remove hardness causing minerals therefrom. Thesoftening means 15 may include a bed 16 of conventional water softeningminerals, such as zeolite. The operating cycles of the softening means15 may be controlled by a master valve 17, which, for example, may bethe type disclosed in US. Patent 3,215,273, and assigned to the sameassignee as this invention. During the softening cycle, the valve 17causes hard water from pipe 13 to flow through the bed 16 and thenthrough a soft water supply pipe 18 to various places in the dwelling 10where the softened water will be used. After the hard water hassubstantially exhausted the softening ability of the bed 16, a suitabletiming mechanism associated with the valve 17 causes hard water tobypass the bed 16 for use in the dwelling, while regeneration of the bedtakes place. During the regeneration cycle, hard water is divertedthrough a raw water inlet pipe 20 in a mixing compartment 21 inliquid-tight regenerating mineral and liquid container means 22. Thismay be accomplished through the use of fluid-drawing andflow-controllingmeans 23, such as a float type aspirator valve of the type disclosed inUnited States Patent 3,185,302, and assigned to the same assignee asthis invention.

The container means 22 may include a substantially horizontal movable,preforated platform 25 for supporting solid regenerating mineral, suchas salt tablets 26. Access to the interior of the container means may beachieved by a pivotable door 43, as more fully described hereafter. Theplatform 25 defines an upper solid regenerating mineral compartment 27and a lower concentrated liquor compartment 28. A partition 35 isolatesthe mixing compartment from the rest of the container. Water from thepipe 20 flows through conduit means 24 into the compartments 27 and 28to dissolve the solid mineral 26 to produce a concentrated regeneratingliquor.

During the regenerating cycle, the means 23 causes the concentratedliquor to flow from the compartment 28 through conduit 24 into mixingcompartment 21, where it is diluted with water from the conduit 20 so asto produce the regenerating liquid, which flows through an outlet pipe29 into the bed 16 and there regenerates the water softening mineralsinthe known manner. The

. container means 22 may include means 93 for controlling the amount ofconcentrated liquor flowing into the compartment 21, as more fullydescribed hereafter. After a predetermined amount of regenerating liquidhas flowed through the bed 16, the bed is backwashed and water is causedto flow into the compartments 27 and 28 to produce the concentratedliquor for the next regeneration cycle.

The container means 22 may include an overflow pipe 30 so that in casemalfunctioning causes excessive liquid to flow, the liquid will bedischarged into a waste line 31 which empties into the sewer 32 from thedwelling 10, rather than overflowing into the dwelling. The mastercontrol valve 17 also has a waste dischargeline 33 emptying into thesewer 32 for discharge of the used regenerating liquid and backwashflow. The container may be provided with means 34 for visibly indicatingthe amount of regenerating mineral therein, as more fully explainedhereinafter.

FIGS. 2-4 show in greater detail the construction of the container means22 that permits easy access to the mineral compartment 27 forreplenishing the supply of solid mineral. The container 22 is mounted inan opening 4t) in a substantially vertical panel 41 of suitablesupporting means in a dwelling 10, such as a kitchen sink cabinet 42.Access to the compartment 27 is attained by pivoting outwardly from thepanel 41 a door 43 that forms a portion of the containers front panel36.

The door 43 may include an outer facade portion 44 and an inner slideportion 45, which acts as a chute for diverting the salt tablets 26 intothe chamber 27, where they come to rest on platform 25; The door 43 ispivoted on hinge pins 46 secured to side walls of the container. Slots47 provided in side portions 48 of the door receive the pins 46 and actas the bearings for the door assembly. A tab 49 is provided on the sideportion 48 for acting as a stop by engaging an inwardly directed portion50 of the container in order to hold the door at a suitable angle suchas about 45 for causing the salt tablets to slide onto the platform 25.Thus, on pivoting the door 43 outwardly from the panel 41 and engagingthe stop 49 against portion 50, the portion 45 acts as a chute ontowhich salt tablets can be dropped, whereupon they will slide into thecompartment 27 and come to rest on the platform 25.

Since only the door 43 need be moved to load the container with mineral,the pipes, 20, 29, and 39 can be made from conventional rigid materials,rather than having to be flexible as in situations where the entirecontainer is movable. As shown in FIG. 5, the mixing compartment 21 mayinclude a partition 37 having holes 38 which the pipes 20, 29, and 30pass through at a height above the uppermost level reached by liquid inthe compartment 21. Thus, the holes 38 and the holes 39, through whichthe pipes leave the container, need not have liquid-tight seals.

FIGS. and 6 illustrate means for indicating externally of the containerthe amount of solid regenerating min eral in the container, in order toalert the occupants of a dwelling when the solid mineral supply has beenexhausted. The platform 25 may rest on suitable supports, such aschannels 50 attached to the sides of the container. Suflicient clearanceis provided around the periphery of the platform 25 so that it isvertically movable. The platform 25 is operatively connected toresilient biasing means, such as a compression spring 51, and to anexternally visible pointer 52 by means of a motion transmitting member53. The member 53 has an upwardly extending terminal end 54 passingthrough an opening 55 in the platform 25, and a portion 56 which passesbeneath the platform 25 for supporting same. A portion 57 passesupwardly through a recess 58 and also passes through the spring 51; anabutment 59 is attached to the portion 57 so as to rest on the spring51. 68 then passes sideways through an elongated slot 61 in thepartition 35. A portion 62 passes along the partition 35 and thenthrough an elongated slot 63 in the front panel or wall 36 of thecontainer. A portion 64 passes downwardly along the front wall, and isconnected to a portion 65 which terminates in an outwardly directed end66 which is connected to the pointer 52 by being inserted into a slot67-.

The lower end of spring 51 is supported by a bottom wall 70 in areceptacle 71, which is removably attached to the wall 35 by anysuitable means such as screws 72. The dimensions of the various elementsare such that when a spring 51 is not compressed by the weight ofmineral tablets on the platform 25, the supporting portion 56 holds oneend of the platform slightly above one supporting channel 50. It is thusapparent that as salt tablets are placed on the platform 25 their weightcauses the platform to move downwardly; this draws the member 53downwardly and causes the abutment 59 to compress the spring 51 againstthe bottom wall 70. Down- Ward movement of the member 53 causes thepointer end 67 to move downwardly, which causes its visible end Aportion 52 to pivot upwardly about a pivot axis 71. As water flowinginto the compartment 27 dissolves the mineral tablets and therebydecreases their weight, the spring 51 expands and pulls the platform 25upwardly. Upward movement of the member 53 pivots the pointer 52downwardly indicating that salt has been dissolved. By propercalibration of the spring and pointer assembly, the pointer 52 willpoint to the Add Salt indication on the outside of the container whenall of the mineral tablets have been dissolved. Thus the indicatingmeans'of my invention functions in the manner of a spring scale, sincethe weight of the mineral tablets serves to compress a spring whichcauses a pivoted pointer to move along a scale. The pointer 52 may beviewed through a window 75, such as glass plate covering an opening in afacade 76, which defines a protected space adjacent to the front wall 36of the container.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the provision of meansindicating externally of the container when the solid regeneratingmineral within the container has been exhausted may be accomplished byexpedients other than a moving pointer. For example, the end 66 of themember 53 may be employed to close a movable contact in an electriccircuit and thus turn on a colored I light or sound an audible alarmsuch as a bell to indicate that the solid mineral supply has beenexhausted.

FIGS. 5 and 7-9 illustrate a preferred embodiment of means which definesliquid flow conduit 24 and also provides the means for regulating thequantity of concentrated regenerating liquor flowing from theconcentrated liquor compartment 28 into the mixing compartment 21, andthus controls the amount of the regenerating liquid flowing into the bed16 during the regeneration cycle. A hole is provided at the bottom ofthe partition 35, and a hollow pipe 81 passes through the hole 80 andhas one end secured to a hollow outer cylindrical tube 82. The tube 82has a closed bottom end 79 and is provided with a substantially verticalslot 83 in its side wall. A hollow inner cylindrical tube 84 istelescopically received within the tube 82 so as to be rotatablysupported thereby. The tube 84 has an opening 85 spiralling along aportion of its side wall. As shown in FIG. 7, the vertical slot 83 andspiral opening 85 coincide to define a passage 86 through which liquidflows from the interior of the tube 82 into the compartment 21, fromwhere it can enter or leave the means 23 through one or more openings 87in the lower end thereof.

As shown in FIG. 8, a plurality of projections 88 on the interiorsurface of the tube 82 provides means for positioning the tube 84. Afluid-tight seal between the tubes 82 and 84 is achieved by means of achannel shaped gasket 89 that lines the peripheral edge of the verticalslot 83 and is compressed against the inner wall of the tube 82 by theouter wall of the tube 84. Thus the passage 86 is the only opening inthe flow-controlling means through which liquid can flow into or out ofthe compartment 21.

As stated previously, the tube 84 is rotatably supported by the tube 82.This is accomplished by securing a bevel gear 90 to the upper end of thetube 84. The peripheral edge of the gear 90 extends beyond the tube 82and so that the underside of the gear rests on the upper end of thetube. The gear 90 mates with a gear 91 attached to a shaft 92 whichprotrudes through an opening in the front wall 36 and facade 76. A knob93 is attached to the outer end of the shaft 92 and protrudes from theexterior of the container. Turning of the knob 93 rotates the gear 91which, in turn, rotates the gear 90, and with it the attached tube 84.As the tube 84 rotates, a

different portion of the spiral opening 85 is brought into positionmating with the vertical slot 83. Since the various portions of thespiral opening 85 occupy different vertical locations along the side ofthe tube 84, this rotation causes the passage 86 where the slot andgroove coincide to move vertically. The vertical location of the slot 86controls the volume of liquid flowing into the compartment 21 from thecompartment 28 because flow will be stopped when the level of liquid inthe compartment 28 is identical to the vertical location of the passage86. The spiral opening 85 is continuous along the side of the tube 84,so continuous control at an unlimited number of positions is attainablebetween an upper and a lower limit determined by the terminal ends ofthe spiral opening 85.

To insure proper calibration of the slot 83 and opening 85, a pair ofupstanding ears 95 are attached to the outside of the tube 82. Aprojection 96 is attached to the gear 90 so that rotation of the gear 90will be prevented in either direction when the projection 96 engageseither of the ears 95.

The tube assembly is securely held in place by providing threads 96 onone end of the pipe 81 and threading a nut 97 thereon. A projection 98extends from on side of outer tube 82, and a screw 99 is passed throughthe partition 35 into the projection. A fluid-tight seal at the hole 80is achieved by compressing an O-ring gasket 100 between the partition 35and a shoulder 101 that extends from the pipe 81.

FIG. shows another embodiment of flow-regulating means 30 in accord withmy teachings. The features identical to those of the embodiment of FIGS.7-9 have been given the same number as used in the foregoingdescription. The inner and outer tubes mate to define the fluid flowpassage in a different manner in the FIG. 10 embodiment. An outer tube104 has a relatively large slot 105 that has one edge 106 which spiralsaround a portion of the tube. An inner tube 107 is provided with asubstantially vertical slot 108. The inner tube 107 is attached to abevel gear 90 that rotatably supports same on the outer tube 104 andotherwise functions as described with reference to FIGS. 7-9. Thus,rotation of the inner tube 107 will cause diflferent portions of thevertical slot 108 to be closed off by the edge 106 of the tube 104. Thiswill regulate the flow of fluid into the chamber 21 in the same mannerdescribed previously with reference to the embodiment of FIGS. 7-9.

As shown in the broken-away portion of the FIG. 10, the inner and outertubes may be machined to close tolerances so as to have a very tightfit, thereby eliminating the need for sealing means, such as the gasket89 employed in the embodiment of FIGS. 7-9.

An important feature of a container employing externally visibleindicating means as described with reference to FIG. 6 andflow-controlling means as described with reference to FIGS. 710, is thatopenings such as 61 and 63 through which the connecting means 53 passesmust be above the uppermost vertical location reached by the passage 86,defined by the coinciding slots in the flowcontrolling means. This willensure that the only pas' sage for fluid from the chamber 28 into thechamber 21 is through the passage 86'where the tubes mate.

It has thus been shown that by the practice of my invention a containerfor solid regenerating mineral in a water softening system may beprovided with a door that serves as an inclined chute for loading solidmineral therein and thus provides easy access for loading of thecontainer. Since only the door is movable, liquid in the container willnot be sloshed out of the container when it is opened for loading. Solidmineral placed on the chute will be slid. onto a movable platform thatis connected through suitable means to an external indicator foralerting occupants of a dwelling when the supply of solid mineralhasbeen exhausted. Means for controlling the flow of concentratedregenerating liquor into a mixing compartment has been provided by acompact arrangement that allows continuous control between predeterminedlimits.

The means for attaining easy access to the container, the means forproviding an external indication of the amount of mineral in thecontainer, and the means for controlling the flow of fluid have beenarranged in an integral container assembly in which they cooperaterather than interfere with each other. This is accomplished by locatingthe elongated openings through which pass the connecting means of theindicator assembly above the highest point reached by the coincidingslots in the flow-regulating means, and by locating the chutedoorassembly of the container above the movable part of the indicatingmeans.

It will be understood, of course, that while the forms of the inventionherein shown and described constitute preferred embodiment of theinvention, it is not intended herein to illustrate all of the equivalentforms or ramifications thereof. It will also be understood that thewords used are words of description rather than of limitation, and thatvarious changes may be made Without departing from the spirit or scopeof the invention herein disclosed, and it is aimed in the appendedclaims to cover all such changes as fall within thetrue spirit and scopeof the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. A solid regenerating mineral container for a water conditioner of thetype in which water flows over said mineral and dissolves same toprovide an expendable regenerating solution, thereby consuming saidmineral and necessitating replenishment thereof, said containercomprising:

(I) means defining a liquid compartment including means for supportingsaid solid mineral that is movable by solid mineral thereon,

(II) signal means for indicating by movement externally of saidcontained when said regenerating mineral has been consumed, and

motion transmitting means extending through an opening in said liquidcompartment and operatively connecting said' supporting means to saidsignal means, said opening being located above the uppermost levelnormally reached by liquid in said liquid compartment.

2. A solid regenerating mineral container for a water conditioner of thetype in which water flows over said mineral and dissolves same toprovide an expendable regenerating solution, thereby consuming saidmineral and necessitating replenishment thereof, said containercomprising:

(1) means defining a liquid reservoir including platform means forsupporting said solid mineral that is movable by solid mineral thereon,

(a) said platform means dividing said reservoir into an upper and alower compartment,

(b) said platform means being located below the uppermost level normallyreached by liquid in said container, and

(II) means passing through an opening in said reservoir and beingoperatively connected to said platform means so as to indicate bymovement externally of said container when said regenerating mineral hasbeen consumed, said opening being above said uppermost liquid level. v

3. A solid regenerating mineral container for a water conditioner of thetype in which water flows over said mineral and dissolves same toprovide an expendable regenerating solution, thereby consuming saidmineral and v (c) there being an opening through said platform meanspermitting liquid to flow between said upper and lower compartments,

(II) partition means defining a mixing compartment in the interior ofsaid container,

(a) there being an elongated opening through said partition meanscommunicating with said upper compartment,

(III) an outer wall of said container having an elongated openingtherethrough,

(IV) means for indicating externally of said outer wall when saidregenerating mineral has been consumed,

(V) motion transmitting means passing through said elongated openings insaid partition means and outer wall and connecting said platform meansto said movable indicating means so that the operation of said movableindicating means is deter-mined by the posi- I tion of said platformmeans and said elongated openings being above the uppermost levelnormally reached by liquid in said container.

4. A solid regenerating mineral container for a water conditioner of thetype in which water flows over said mineral and dissolves same toprovide an expendable regenerating solution, thereby consuming saidmineral and necessitating replenishment thereof, said containercomprising:

(I) means defining a liquid reservoir including substantially horizontalplatform means for supporting said solid mineral and being movable bysolid mineral thereon,-

(II) movable pointer means visible externally of said container forindicating when said regenerating mineral has been consumed, and

(III) motion transmitting means passing through an opening in saidreservoir and connecting saidplatform means to said pointer means so theposition of said pointer means is determined by the location of saidplatform means, said opening being located above the uppermost levelnormally reached by liquid in said reservoir.

5. A solid regenerating mineral container for a water conditioner of thetype in which water flows over said mineral and dissolves same toprovide an expendable regenerating solution, thereby consuming saidmineral and necessitating replenishment thereof, said containercomprising:

(I) means defining a liquid reservoir including platform means forsupporting said solid mineral and being movable by solid mineralthereon,

(a) said platform means dividing said reservoir into an upper and alower compartment, there being an opening in said upper compartmentabove the uppermost level normally reached by liquid in said reservoir,

(b) said mineral being received in said upper compartment,

(0) there being an opening through said platform means permitting liquidto flow between said upper and lower compartments,

(II) an outer wall of said container having an opening therethrough,

(III) movable means for indicating externally of said outer wall whensaid regenerating mineral has been consumed, and

(IV) means passing through said opening in said outer wall and saidopening in said upper compartment and operatively connecting saidmovable indicating means to said platform means so that the operation ofsaid movable indicating means is determined by the position of saidplatform means.

6. A solid regenerating mineral container for a water conditioner of thetype in which Water flows over said mineral and dissolves same toprovide an expendable regenerating solution, thereby consuming saidmineral and necessitating replenishment thereof, said containercomprising:

(I) generally horizontal movable platform means for supporting saidsolid mineral,

(a) said platform means dividing said container into an upper and lowercompartment,

(b) said mineral being received in said upper compartment,

(c) there being an opening through said platform means permitting liquidto flow between said upper and lower compartments,

(II) generally vertical partition means defining a mixing compartment,

(a) there being an opening through said partition means communicatingwith said upper compartment and being above the uppermost level normallyreached by liquid in said container,

(II-I) an outer wall of said container having an opening therethrough,

(IV) movable means for indicating externally of said outer wall whensaid regenerating mineral has been consumed, and

(V) motion transmitting means passing through said opening in saidpartition means and outer wall and connecting said platform means tosaid movable indicating means so that the operation of said movableindicating means is determined by the position of said platform means.

7. A solid regenerating mineral container for a water conditioner of thetype in which water flows over said mineral and dissolves same toprovide an expendable regenerating solution, thereby consuming saidmineral and necessitating replenishment thereof, said containercomprising:

(I) movable platform means for supporting said solid mineral,

(a) said platform means dividing said container into an upper solidmineral compartment and a lower concentrated regenerating liquorcompartment,

(b) said mineral being received in said upper compartment,

(c) there being an opening through said platform means permitting liquidto flow between said upper and lower compartments,

(II) partition means defining a mixing compartment on the interior ofsaid container,

(a) there being an opening through said partition means communicatingwith said upper compartment and being above the uppermost level normallyreached by liquid in said container,

(III) an outer wall of said container having an opening therethrough,

(IV) means for indicating externally of said outer wall when saidregenerating mineral has been consumed, (V) motion transmitting meanspassing through said opening in said partition means and outer wall andconnecting said platform means to said indicating means, and I (VI)resilient means biasing said motion transmitting means so that theoperation of said indicating means is proportional to the weight ofsolid mineral supported by said platform means.

8. A solid regenerating mineral container for a water conditioner of thetype in which water flows over said mineral and dissolves same toprovide an expendable regenerating solution, thereby consuming saidmineral and necessitating replenishment thereof, said containercomprising:

(I) movable platform means for supporting said solid mineral,

(a) said platform means dividing said container into an upper solidmineral compartment and a lower concentrated regenerating liquorcompartment,

(b) said mineral being received in said upper compartment,

(c) there being an opening through said platform means permitting liquidto flow between said upper and lower compartments,

(II) partition means defining a mixing compartment on the interior ofsaid container,

(a) there being an elongated opening through said partition meanscommunicating with said upper compartment and being above the uppermostlevel normally reached by liquid in said container,

(III) an outer wall of said container having an elongated openingtherethrough,

(IV) pointer means pivotally mounted on said outer wall for indicatingexternally of said container when said regenerating mineral has beenconsumed, and

(V) spring biased motion transmitting means passing through saidelongated openings in said partition means and outer wall and connectingsaid platform means to said indicating means so that the operation ofsaid indicating means is proportional to the weight of solid mineralsupported by said platform means.

9. A solid regenerating mineral container for a water conditioner of thetype in which water flows over said mineral and dissolves same toprovide an expendable regenerating solution, thereby consuming saidmineral and necessitating replenishment thereof, said containercomprising:

(I) means defining a liquid compartment including platform means forsupporting said solid mineral and being movable by solid mineralthereon,

(II) movable pointer means visible externally of said container forindicating when said regenerating mineral has been consumed, and

(III) resiliently biased motion transmitting means passing through anopening in said liquid compartment and connecting said platform means tosaid pointer means so the position of said pointer means is proportionalto the Weight of solid mineral supported by said platform means, saidopening being above the uppermost level normally reached by liquid insaid compartment.

10. A solid regenerating mineral container for a water conditioner ofthe type in which water flows over said mineral and dissolves same toprovide an expendable regenerating solution, thereby consuming saidmineral and necessitating replenishment thereof, said containercomprising:

(I) means defining a liquid compartment including platform means forsupporting said solid mineral and being movable by solid mineralthereon,

(II) pivotable pointer means visible externally of said container forindicating when said regenerating mineral has been consumed, and

(III) spring biased motion transmitting means passing through an openingin said liquid compartment and connecting said platform means to saidpointer means so the position of said pointer means is proportional tothe weight of solid mineral supported by said platform means, saidopening being above the uppermost level normally reached by liquid insaid compartment.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 69,425 10/ 1867Fisher 177-225 359,510 3/ 1887 Kimball 137577 544,817 8/1895 Luigart312328 555,549 3/ 1896 Wornstaif 312328 596,006 12/ 1897 Meyer 177-225761,144 5/1904 Caille 177-225 1,321,513 11/1919 Eaton 137--577 1,807,31312/1931 Hines 177-225 1,898,812 2/ 1933 Bressler 210- 1,940,965 12/ 1933Nash 210190 2,032,524 3/ 1936 Bobrick 23-267 2,265,225 12/1941 Clark210--24 2,633,018 3/ 1953 McIlvaine 177-234 3,073,674 1/1963 Rudelick23-272.6 3,089,508 5/ 1963 Schulze 23267 FOREIGN PATENTS 66,582 4/ 1957France. 439,382 12/1935 Great Britain.

514,031 2/1955 Italy.

NORMAN YUDKOF-F, Primary Examiner.

S. EMERY, Assistant Examiner.

1. A SOLID REGENERATING MINERAL CONTAINER FOR A WATER CONDITIONER OF THETYPE IN WHICH WATER FLOWS OVER SAID MINERAL AND DISSOLVES SAME TOPROVIDE AN EXPENDABLE REGENERATING SOLUTION, THREBY CONSUMING SAIDMINERAL AND NECESSITATING REPLENISHMENT THEREOF, SAID CONTAINERCOMPRISING: (I) MEANS DEFINING A LIQUID COMPARTMENT INCLUDING MEANS FORSUPPORTING SAID SOLID MINERAL THAT IS MOV(II) SIGNAL MEANS FORINDICATING BY MOVEMENT EXTERNALLY OF SAID CONTAINED WHEN SAIDREGENERATING MINERAL HAS BEEN CONSUMED, AND MOTION TRANSMITTING MEANSEXTENDING THROUGH AN OPENING IN SAID LIQUID COMPARTMENT AND OPERATIVELYCONNECTING SAID SUPPORTING MEANS TO SAID SIGNAL MEANS, SAID OPENINGBEING LOCATED ABOVE THE UPPERMOST LEVEL NORMALLY REACHED BY LIQUID INSAID COMPARTMENT.